How Anxiety/Depression Levels Differed Between States and Regions Following COVID-19

Author

Ian Walsh & Logan Rosell

Published

December 2, 2025

Introduction

Background

2-3 citations in background

Methods

Results

Line Graph

Map Graph

Regression

model intercept : [34.755]
model coefficients :  [[-0.093  3.71   2.925  1.025]]
R-Squared:  0.19415286371639773

Checks for LINE

Time Period VIF = 1.0
Region_South VIF = 1.611
Region_West VIF = 1.552
Region_Northeast VIF = 1.441

Differences between regions over time

Conclusion

References

  1. Census Regions and Divisions of the United States, U.S. Census Bureau, www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
  2. “Covid-19 Mortality.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 Aug. 2025, www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/covid19.html.
  3. “End of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 Sept. 2023, archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/end-of-phe.html.
  4. “George Floyd: Timeline of Black Deaths and Protests.” BBC News, BBC, 22 Apr. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52905408.
  5. Hayward, Ed. “Covid-19’s Toll on Mental Health.” Boston College, Apr. 2021, www.bc.edu/bc-web/bcnews/campus-community/faculty/anxiety-and-stress-spike-during-pandemic.html.
  6. Park, Alice. “The First Authorized COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S. Has Arrived.” Time, 11 Dec. 2020, time.com/5920134/first-authorized-covid-19-vaccine-us/.
  7. Suzuki, Sara et al. “Trajectories of sociopolitical stress during the 2020 United States presidential election season: Associations with psychological well-being, civic action, and social identities.” Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology vol. 16 100218. 31 Oct. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100218
  8. Taylor, Mia. “Which States with the Most and Fewest Coronavirus Restrictions.” Cheapism, 17 Sept. 2020, www.cheapism.com/coronavirus-restrictions/.
  9. Totenberg, Nina, and Sarah McCammon. “Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, Ending Right to Abortion Upheld for Decades.” NPR, 24 June 2022, www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn.
  10. Vahratian, Anjel, et al. “Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care among Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, August 2020–February 2021.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Apr. 2021, www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7013e2.htm.
  • https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/end-of-phe.html (end of Covid emergency)
  • https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/bcnews/campus-community/faculty/anxiety-and-stress-spike-during-pandemic.html (Background article on mental health during covid)
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52905408 (George Floyd Protest Timeline)
  • https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7013e2.htm (CDC methods for data gathering)
  • https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/covid19.html (COVID mortality rates per state)
  • https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf (Census definitions of regions)
  • https://www.cheapism.com/coronavirus-restrictions/ (Difference in lockdowns between states)
  • https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn (Roe V. Wade Overturned)
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10654137/ (Study on College aged adults immediate before and after the 2020 election)
  • https://time.com/5920134/first-authorized-covid-19-vaccine-us/ (First Covid-19 Vaccine Approved)